n Mervyn's face, as though repeating a lesson. 'A carriage will
be here by seven. I will bring her home, or never return.'

'Gone!'

'It was inexcusable in me, sir,' said Miss Fennimore, resting a hand on
the table to support herself. 'I thought it needlessly galling to let
her feel herself watched; and at her request, let her remain in the
waiting-room while her sister was in the dentist's hands. When, after an
hour, Maria was released, she was gone.'

'Alone?' cried Phoebe.

'Alone, I hope. I went to the station; the train had been ten minutes
gone; but a young lady, alone, in mourning, and with no luggage but a
little bag, had got in there for London. Happily, they did not know her;
and it was the parliamentary train, which is five hours on the road. I
telegraphed at once to your brother to meet her at the terminus.'

'I have no hope,' said Mervyn, doggedly, seating himself on the table,
his feet dangling. 'He will be in the lowest gutter of Whittingtonia,
where no one can find him. The fellow will meet that miserable child, go
off to Ostend this very night, marry her before to-morrow morning.
There's an end of it!'

'Where does Mr. Hastings lodge, sir?'

'Nowhere that I know of. There will be no end of time lost in tracing
him! No train before 8.30! I'll go in at once, and have a special.'

'They cannot put on one before nine, because of the excursion trains for
the cattle-show. I should not have been in time had I driven to catch
the express at W.,' said Miss Fennimore, in her clear voice of
desperation. 'The 8.30 reaches town at 11.23. Will you give me the
addresses where I may inquire, sir?'

'You! I am going myself. You would be of no use,' said Mervyn, in a
stunned, mechanical way; and looking at his watch, he went to give
orders.

'He should not go, Phoebe. In his state the mere journey is a fearful
risk.'

'It can't be helped,' said Phoebe. 'I shall go with him. You stay to
take care of Maria. There will be Robert to help us;' and as the
governess would have spoken farther, she held up her hands in
entreaty--'O pray don't say anything! I can't go on if I do anything but
act.'

Yet in the endeavour to keep her brother quiet, and to husband his
powers, Phoebe's movements and words had rather an additional gentleness
and deliberation; and so free from bustle was her whole demeanour, that
he never comprehended her intention of accompanying him till she stepped
into the carria